Twitter is one of the world’s coolest social media platforms, not in the least because it enables you to get in touch with people who have significant influences in the world and who you would otherwise never be able to reach. If you have completed an MBA (master of business administration), or are in the process of completing one, you will already know how important it is to build business networks in terms of advancing not just your career, and improving the organization you work for as well. Twitter is a fantastic medium for that, because it enables you to get up close and personal to successful CEOs. These are people that you most likely look up to, and who seem to have found the Holy Grail. So which 25 CEOs should MBAs follow?
1. Jack Dorsey
Jack Dorsey is the co-founder of Twitter, its current CEO (again), and Square’s founder and CEO. He is able to lead two huge companies at the same time. If you want to find inspiration, then he is certainly one to look up to.
Today I’m thrilled to get back to work at @Twitter leading product as Executive Chairman. And yes: leading @Square forevermore as CEO. #200%
— 🚶🏽jack (@jack) 28 March 2011
2. Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos, the CEO and founder of Amazon.com, hasn’t done very much on Twitter just yet. He joined in 2008 but he never tweeted until November 2015, when he suddenly sent out his first four tweets. You may wonder why this is a CEO that you need to follow, therefore, but that is because people expected him, and quite rightly so, to soon start tweeting more regularly, sharing information about his style and his business, which is Amazon (and that’s why he must be followed). While he is still quiet on the Amazon front, he seems to be Tweeting a lot about his personal interests and hobbies, including his children.
Trying for 4th flight of same hardware this Friday. Live webcast at https://t.co/XlqW03DcEB #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/AKyv3newmN
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) 13 June 2016
3. Richard Branson
As the CEO of Virgin, Richard Branson does what nobody has ever thought possible. He never completed school, for instance, loves extreme sports, loathes ties, and visits heads of state in jeans and a shirt, unbuttoned at the top! He is always going for bigger and better things, as well as engaging in important philanthropic work.
Trying for 4th flight of same hardware this Friday. Live webcast at https://t.co/XlqW03DcEB #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/AKyv3newmN
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) 13 June 2016
4. Tim Cook
Tim Cook is the current CEO of Apple. Even if you don’t own an Apple device yourself, it is highly likely that you know someone who does. You can’t get around Apple, one of the world’s most powerful companies. Cook is really cool, because he also speaks out on various political issues, so he’s very interesting to follow.
.@AppStore developers have now earned over $50 billion! Congratulations on your success and such inspired creativity.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) 3 August 2016
5. Tony Hsieh
Tony Hsieh is Zappos CEO. He goes through phases of intensively using Twitter, and then not using it at all. But when he does use it, he has really interesting things to talk about.
“I’m not delusional, I’m an entrepreneur.” -Gapingvoid: http://t.co/Wj2w7ZPk
— Zappos.com CEO -Tony (@tonyhsieh) 1 December 2012
6. Donald Trump
Donald Trump is hugely entertaining and there is nothing quite like his Twitter feed. He uses it very regularly, particularly now that he is running for president, and it really shows that some people, with the right mindset, can achieve and do whatever they set their mind to.
I visited our Trump Tower campaign headquarters last night, after returning from Ohio and Arizona, and it was packed with great pros – WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 2 September 2016
7. Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai is Google’s CEO. Google now comes under Alphabet and represnts just the search business, but it is the largest business. Pichai, it can be said, heads the strongest and most powerful digital company the world has ever seen. He travels a lot of as well and regularly tweets about that. In addition, he’s also not afraid to speak up about current issues.
Everyone has a right to freedom & equality. Proud of Google’s support for the LGBTQ community #prideforeveryone https://t.co/2nMoi4CU72
— sundarpichai (@sundarpichai) 23 June 2016
8. Tristan Walker
Tristan Walker is one of the few African American business leaders. He founded and heads Walker & Company, which is a brand that creates health and beauty products specifically for people of color. Walker is also committed to raising the profile of minority populations in higher levels of business, which can be seen from his Twitter feed.
why we exist. pic.twitter.com/5LDT1EWx4H
— tristan walker (@tristanwalker) 3 September 2016
9. Kimberly Bryant
African Americans are underrepresented in the world of business, and all the more so with women. So when an African American female CEO comes along, you absolutely have to follow her, even if it is just for inspiration. She founded Black Girls Code and essentially focuses on what Walker is doing as well as on what Chipps is doing, but then together.
So if I can prioritize diversity + inclusion w/ a TINY budget and as a Black woman CEO. I see no excuses for others. None. #DoBetter
— Kimberly Bryant (@6Gems) 16 October 2015
10. Jeremey Stoppelman
Jeremy Stoppelman is Yelp’s cofounder and CEO. He focuses on helping startups, sharing news about them through his Twitter feed. He also highlights things that go on in California, so if you are based there, you definitely have to follow him.
For the space nerds out there, you know you want this… ht @eladgil pic.twitter.com/Q5T41KrJpL
— Jeremy Stoppelman (@jeremys) 25 August 2016
11. Ruzwana Bashir
Ruzwana Bashir is Peek’s founder and CEO. Peek enables people to book vacation activities and tours that are near them. By following Bashir, you have an opportunity to see and explore the entire world.
1 wk in Bali:
3 places
2 mountains climbed
35 bug bites
14 mangoes consumed
6x yoga
0 articles read about Trump! pic.twitter.com/Ql0F1MhwGy— Ruzwana Bashir (@ruzwana) 28 August 2016
12. David Karp
David Karp is CEO of Tumblr. Tumblr is one of the best known blogging platforms in the world. What he has done with his Twitter feed is to create a type of microblog. It is really cool and definitely worth following.
Helicopters (and one balloon) hovering over Trump Tower https://t.co/328badA3Mw
— David Karp (@davidkarp) 10 August 2016
13. Stewart Butterfield
Stewart Butterfield cofounded Flickr and made a fortune. He disappeared from the public eye for a while, but he is back as CEO of Slack. His unique personality really shines through on Twitter.
I’m totally King George. A lot of people are saying that I roll my Rs really well. Quite arch. Very camp. Love those songs.
— Stewart Butterfield (@stewart) 24 August 2016
14. Aaron Levie
Aaron Levie is the CEO of Box, a storage and file sharing service. He uses his Twitter feed to discuss how he feels about certain current events. He is incredibly opinionated and is never be afraid to express such opinions.
Unlike essentially every other kind of challenge a startup runs into, you probably don’t hear “it’s not rocket science” much at SpaceX.
— Aaron Levie (@levie) 1 September 2016
15. Carl Icahn
Carl Icahn is an investor and an activist. He heads Icahn Enterprises and is respected as one of the top brains in the world of finance.
We have recently acquired a large position in Allergan $AGN & are very supportive of CEO Brent Saunders. Read more: https://t.co/5OoDWo6Q0g
— Carl Icahn (@Carl_C_Icahn) 31 May 2016
16. Danielle Morrill
Danielle Morrill does something really complicated with data through her company Mattermark. Data is what drives the world today, and she has created something that helps information in the world to be better organized. Since 2013, she has been working on this, enabling other organizations to make better decisions based on her organizational skills.
Walk by this every day. Hello top of the market pic.twitter.com/zPUInLm8ZQ
— Danielle Morrill (@DanielleMorrill) 3 September 2016
17. Daniel Ek
Daniel Ek is the founder and CEO of Spotify, the world’s most use music app. Not only does he talk about business and music through his Twitter feed, but he also regularly shares new tunes. You could be introduced to your next favorite artist by following him.
Walk by this every day. Hello top of the market pic.twitter.com/zPUInLm8ZQ
— Danielle Morrill (@DanielleMorrill) 3 September 2016
18. Bill Gates
Bill Gates was once the CEO of Microsoft and although he doesn’t hold that position anymore, he should still be included in this list. His Twitter feed is filled with information about the philanthropic work that he engages in with his wife. It is very nice to see how people who have made it try to pay it forward.
Melinda explains why gender diversity helps create better companies and better products: https://t.co/d3V0mgMw7w pic.twitter.com/MUi33E1dl6
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) 31 August 2016
19. Elizabeth Holmes
Elizabeth Holmes is Theranos’ founder and CEO. This company is a laboratory startup company that is now worth around $10 billion. Holmes is just 31 years old, and a true inspiration to women and men across the world.
On this day in 1948, an incredible woman helped establish the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. #HumanRightsDay pic.twitter.com/aoep9MhozN
— Elizabeth Holmes (@eholmes2003) 10 December 2015
20. Mark Cuban
If you are a sports fan, Mark Cuban is probably already on your list. He is the Dallas Mavericks CEO and owner. He made his millions in the 1990s during the dot-com boom.
I don’t need a job. I can be on here all I want. Do you still have a job with DJT? People are saying you got fired https://t.co/mndw9DkEhC
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) 1 September 2016
21. Elon Musk
Elon Musk is known for his home and car transformations, using renewable energy. He focuses particularly on SolarCity and Tesla. He is also developing SpaceX, which aims to colonize Mars. He is known to speak his mind and really let his personality shine through.
Loss of Falcon vehicle today during propellant fill operation. Originated around upper stage oxygen tank. Cause still unknown. More soon.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 1 September 2016
22. Jeff Weiner
Jeff Weiner is LinkedIn’s CEO, and he makes that very clear on Twitter. This is an interesting one because it almost feels as if someone has infiltrated the competition. Seeing how he handles that is inspirational, particularly for MBA degree holders.
If you want to know someone’s priorities, focus less on their lists & more on how they spend their time. Oftentimes will reveal disconnect
— Jeff Weiner (@jeffweiner) 2 September 2016
23. Sara Chipps
Another African American woman to follow is Sara Chipps. She founded Girl Develop, which is a nonprofit dedicated to helping women who want to learn how to code. She is also very active in creating new things, so definitely one to watch.
I just rebooted a serverless server, this is stupid, stop coming up with these dumb names for things. pic.twitter.com/Am08B15whv
— SaraReyChipps (@SaraJChipps) 23 August 2016
24. Jonah Peretti
Jonah Peretti is the founder and CEO of Buzzfeed. If you have never checked out Buzzfeed, it is time to do so. This will also instantly tell you why Peretti’s Twitter feed is one to watch. He has put the fun back into business.
Congrats @dominicholden and @BuzzFeedNews on excellent LGBT reporting – three years in a row!! https://t.co/dZZgWWju7d
— Jonah Peretti (@peretti) 17 August 2016
25. Drew Houston
Drew Houston is the CEO of Dropbox, a cloud-based service that almost everybody uses. In fact, it now comes as standard with many mobile phones. When you follow Houston on Twitter, you will get to know Dropbox a lot better, and you will also be linked to a community of startup entrepreneurs and hear news about their latest developments.
Thanks to customers & the @Dropbox team as we turn free cash flow positive. An important milestone in our journey. https://t.co/0bUT8DVYTp
— Drew Houston (@drewhouston) 15 June 2016
